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I have just finished watching this movie on Disney+ and came away with a few points of view in this movie.

1) if your looking for a fast paced horror film then your watching the ring movie, this was more like a psychological thriller.

2) the acting from all involved was top notch but Sarah Paulson stole the show, I have yet to see a horrible performance from her.

3) it had a nice small twist near the end, now it wasn't one of these wow I didn't see it coming jump out your seat shock but it made the movie a lot better.

Now this movie will not be everyone's cup of tea but do your in the mood for a slow moving movie with a slight twist towards the end, this film is for you but if your looking a fast paced. Bloody movie then this one is not for you.

I thought it was well worth a watch and did enjoy it.

It's 1933 Oklahoma. Margaret Bellum (Sarah Paulson) is struggling to survive the dust bowl with her two daughters after her husband left to find work. Her youngest is deaf and fears a demonic dust man. Instead, preacher Wallace Grady (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) shows up promising miracles.

I know that this wants to be a poetic horror fantasy family drama thriller. It doesn't actually deliver on any one of those things although it delivers something from each one of them. I want this to go harder on the horror or thrills or the family drama. Pick one. This could be a cool horror. I can see the dust storm as something unique. Wallace could be a scarier presence or maybe someone less obvious. No matter what, I would like this to pick one lane and go harder in that lane.

I just finished watching Hold Your Breath (2024) and man this movie was a very dull and boring experience.

Positives for Hold Your Breath (2024): Sarah Paulson gives a great performance as the main protagonist in this movie and she is the reason why I watched this movie in the first place. There was some intrigue to be had with this gothic old folk horror movie set in the country side during the 1930s. And finally, there is some great camerawork and sound design throughout the runtime.

Negative for Hold Your Breath (2024): Aside from Sarah Paulson, none of the characters are interesting and they are very bland. The movie also doesn't do anything with its premise or the main villain. And finally, the movie is very predictable by the time you reach the climax.

Overall, Hold Your Breath (2024) is a interesting horror movie with its premise, but it ends up being very generic with its execution.

Plot

In 1930s Oklahoma amid the region's horrific dust storms, a woman is convinced that a sinister presence is threatening her family.

Cast

Outside of Paulson I wasn't really all that familiar with anybody involved. Paulson did a great job here, but essentially the same role as she played in Run (2020), thought that's not entirely a bad thing.

Verdict

Hold Your Breath was the missus's pick for movie night, based on the cover art and the fact it's advertised as such I think she believed this was to be a supernatural horror but let me assure you that's not at all what this is.

With an interesting setting it got my attention early, it's bleak, it's dark, it's fascinating and Paulson is a great actress and I've been a fan of hers ever since she played Merlyn Temple in American Gothic (1995-1998). The trouble is it lost my interest at a remarkable rate, why? It's so incredibly dull. Dust is a focal point, yes dust. Then we have the supposed supernatural element which is kept amiguous, then you have very confusing plot devices and it all slowburns to a predictable cliched finale that left me entirely unsatisfied.

The setting is great, Paulson is great, everything else is a bona fide insomnia cure and as engaging as the dust particles it insists on showing us.

Rants

I'm starting to think about 50% of Hollywood horrors are just part of the mental health sub-genre which quite frankly I despise. I get it, more than you realize but I just don't think it makes for very entertaining viewing not to mention that it usually invalidates the whole film by hitting you with "It was all in their head" tropes which I find rather insulting to the viewer. Each to his/her own but for me this is the weakest horror sub-genre and needs shelving for a while for its own good.

The Good

Sarah Paulson Great setting Intriguing opening

The Bad

Gets dull real fast Very weird writing Slow burns to nothing.

I don't get the low ratings & bad reviews of this at all. I was engaged and on the edge of my seat the entire time. Sarah Paulson is a great actress, she really shines in the horror genre, and this is no exception. It wasn't revolutionary in any way, but I thought it was solid. The visuals & cinematography are really effective, they really evoke the terror and tension of the moment. I also appreciated the run time, and the story was nicely paced. I also haven't seen a horror movie in this setting before, (depression era dust bowl) and the poverty and trauma of living in those conditions wove into the story and horror effectively. I really felt the panic. Great casting too! Worth your time!

The premise for "Hold Your Breath" seemed promising and the fact that the movie has an R rating and Sarah Paulson as the lead character made me curious. Sadly there is not too much going on in this Psychological Thriller. Apart from the setting and the performance of Paulsen, there's not much to be seen here. You are introduced to the same tropes that we see over and over again in this genre. The characters aren't interesting enough to make me really care about what happens which is not the fault of the actors by the way because the overall acting was pretty solid. However the movie definitely has a pacing problem and even the end was not able to redeem the viewer. The movie isn't terrible but I was really hoping for more and not this clichee-filled and rather forgettable movie. [4,9/10]

Loved the setting. Dust bowl era seems a great choice for a folk-horror film, and I hope we see more. The desolation and isolation are a perfect setting for stories of paranoia. Paulson - as always - is fantastic. The supporting cast was quite good, but I wish Ebon Moss-Bacharach had a bigger role. It's a slow burn, more creepy than scary, which will certainly put many horror fans off. The story takes its time and I thought delivered on its premise. Not sure what others reviewers didn't understand about "what was really going on". The backstory and resolution are pretty clear if you pay even the slightest attention. It won't blow you away, but if you like a moody, creep alow-burn story very well told, this one is worth your time.

Despite a really interesting concept and some really good camerawork, Hold Your Breath is once again an horror movie that doesn't really do a good job on being creative with it's interesting concept and ends up feeling basic, dull, and predictable in it's way.

Gothic and old folk country side horror is interesting and there are some good camerawork and sound designs throughout. Unfortunately, it's awful color presentation, bland writing and uninteresting characters doesn't really do a service to it's creative setting. The performances are solid and Sarah Paulson continues to be great with her personality and emotional depth acting.

For a first time directing, I can see the filmmaker having some talents and passion within this movie. But there is a lot of work to be done.

Feel free to ignore this poor rating on imdb, the movie only has it because most people won't watch anything horror-labeled that isn't greenscreen slop and/or cheap jump-scare galore.

In other words, this film has such a low rating because it is advertised as horror, and it is not, or at least not in the classic sense, but rather a depressing-disturbing psycho-thriller/drama, with hints of horror.

Apart from that misleading classification, I have nothing to complain about, it's beautifully filmed and fantastically acted - Sarah Paulson knocked it out of the park, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (the goofy brother from The Bear) is not far behind. The direction and the script are generally good, there are some small kinks here and there, but really nothing terrible.

The setting - a dust storm in the backwoods of 1920s Oklahoma - is really something I haven't seen very often (outside of Courage the Cowardly Dog), and it gives the film a special atmosphere of hopelessness.

The movie is not light popcorn fun, in fact, it's really messed up and depressing, but it's also great, something I'd recommend to serious movie buffs as well.

Hulu has churned out some fantastic original movies. One of these, 2020's 'Run,' also happens to have starred Sarah Paulson, and I've otherwise found Paulson to be a terrific, reliable actress who commands strong presence, personality, and emotional depth. The very premise is ripe with enormous potential - it can't be overstated how terrifying nature can be at its most fierce and unforgiving, and Oklahoma during the Great Depression couldn't be more fit as a setting. Such conditions are perfect for a tale of psychological horror, pushing the limits of the human mind as it frays; for further evidence, see Victor Sjöström's 1928 classic 'The wind,' which to this day remains one of the greatest films ever made. To help stir the pot here, the first act gives us a creepy folk tale; a mother with a troubled history as she tends alone to her two daughters and dead land; and scenes of mother Margaret's small "community" which accentuate her isolation and solitude, the desperation of the extreme circumstances, and indeed Margaret's mental state.

'Hold your breath' is filled with fine possibilities, and more than not I believe it firmly succeeds. Paulson is a swell anchor for the picture, and her co-stars are just as excellent in their supporting parts, including Amiah Miller as oldest daughter Rose. The effects are superb, even as computer-generated imagery is employed in abundance; the more tactful the usage is the more effective they are, and practical effects and stunts are impeccable. In addition to even the keen use of lighting, Colin Stetson's original score of unnerving soundscapes lends considerably to the atmosphere herein. The production design and art direction are filled with splendid detail, not to mention the costume design, hair, and makeup. The feature is well made by all modern standards, really, and sure enough, Karrie Crouse has filled her screenplay with super ideas. The narrative is compelling, and the scene writing and characterizations are strong. All the ingredients are here for a gripping, disturbing horror-thriller, and at that one that also carries meaningful notes of tragedy.

The problem I have is that in execution this sadly lacks the careful subtlety that would have allowed all the best potential to come to fruition. In shaping their first full-length title, Crouse and Will Joines are - if sometimes only by degrees - too forceful and upfront with their direction, and in fact too many other elements irregularly bear the same fault. This includes the acting, the visual effects, sometimes the editing, some sound effects, and even Stetson's music. It took a while for me to even come around on the introduction in the second act of a definitive figure, yet though ultimately I think the notions in the writing are fabulous, the realization of them is often too brusque to completely achieve the desired effect. There is marvelous strength here, but it is partly scattered, and partly diminished by the heavy-handedness, however we may measure it. None of this is to say that 'Hold your breath' is not worthwhile; I do like it, and it's good enough to warrant checking out if you have the opportunity. May Crouse and Joines continue to grow in their skills, and I look forward to seeing what they do in the future. It's just unfortunate that when all is said and done this one piece feels unremarkable when it may have been intensely grabbing and chilling, so though it's decent, it doesn't exactly demand viewership.

This is an excellent movie. Some may be looking for special effects with a ghoul floating around, but is a psychological horror. Its right on par with most other great psychological horrors and thrillers. I cannot believe the low scores... people..open your minds, horror and drama and thriller are not just about you jumping off your couch at every moment.

Sarah Paulson is as always excellent, not just for her acting but also for her input in producing this movie. Its fresh, albeit a bit slow, but thats where you as a viewer need to understand and feel the story and experience the movements of a movie. For the nay sayers, who give this a low score because they didnt see a ghoul floating outside in the sand, I say get your popcorn and watch the big bad wolf...the cartoon version.

This is a beautifully shot film with solid performances from Sarah Paulson and the supporting cast. The main issue is that the arc of the story is not smoothly formed, so what starts off as an intriguing slow burn takes some quick turns that seem to come out of nowhere and the entire movie falls apart. The suspense and thrills are minimum here, so it is more of a drama than anything that could approach the horror or thriller genre. I suspect Paulson took this role because it seemed like a good opportunity to exercise her acting chops, but without a well crafted character arc, her performance ends up feeling real in each scene but unsatisfying as a whole.

Honestly, I felt like I just wasted an hour and a half of my night. I don't want to be too critical here because Paulsen is such an incredible actress, but this movie was not scary or thrilling in any capacity, I did not feel really anything except boredom, and the movie was over before it even began because nothing really happened. The climax of the movie happens in the last 5, maybe 10 minutes of the movie. There is almost negative character development, and I just do not personally recommend it. As a fan of many different horror subgenres, and in particular Psychological Thrillers, I'm pretty disappointed especially seeing that Paulsen was in this.

TLDR: Redundant, poorly executed thriller, that really could have used some more planning out.

3.5/10.

Would I call this a horror flick in the traditional sense? Nope. But damn! Well written and the acting was great. I'm a huge Sara Paulson fan and I thought she was outstanding. This is worth the time!

A few good jump scares kept me going at first then as the story unraveled I could not stop watching.

As an Okie descendant of dust bowl survivors I think this perfectly captured the harsh bleakness of the time.

My only criticism is Oklahoma dirt is red not brown as shown but that just me being not picky and trying to reach the silly six hundred characters required to post. Come on IMDB shorten that please!

I just got done watching this movie and honestly I was on the edge of my seat and scared almost the entire time! What kills it though is feeling like it doesn't know what story it's trying to tell really. You don't get a definitive answer of what's going on here but that's fine if executed well but not here unfortunately. The idea was there the atmosphere and scares were there but not necessarily a story to follow I was hoping maybe towards the end stuff would maybe start clicking but it doesn't. Overall I'd still recommend it if you have free time and Hulu access good scares and great performances all around really. If you'd like to see a story similar to this but better I recommend Storm of the Century!

Not to demean opinions of lower rated reviews, it just occurs to me in reading them that life experiences really do contribute to relating to how good a movie can be. If you know you know. If you don't - then perhaps its just a movie.

For me, the acting/chemistry spot on. If anything left me wanting more, maybe that is part of the appeal. A few holes in the story but then I'm thinking it's over my head. Symbolism all over the place that I'd have to sit and think on.

I wouldn't own this in my library - is that even a thing anymore? I would definitely recommend it though, perfect for a day of binge movie watching.